Combined metallic base and conduit



Jan. 2, 1934. A. J. CONNELL El AL COMBINED METALLIC BASE AND CONDUIT Filed May 15, 1929 nII4.In"HHIIIIHIIMIIHH. nu,

a W BY j TTORNEY Patented Jan. 2 1934 COIVLBINED METALLIC BASE AND CONDUIT Andrew J. Connell and Jacob Cohen, College Point, N. Y., assignors to Superior Steel Door and Trim Co. Inc.,

College Point, N. Y., a

corporation of New York Application May 15, 1929. Serial No.. 363,365

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in combined metallic base and conduit.

It is desirable that metallic base-members be provided with an interior conduit-compartment or compartments to enable telephone and lowtension electric wires to be enclosed and concealed while still permitting ready access thereto, and to this end, We have designed a metallic base and conduit having a combined cover and side plate provided with a resilient frictional and screwless fastening with molding strips forming the top and bottom walls of the conduit, and this frictional fastening will be not only secure, but will be readily releasable and iscapable of being fastened and released numerous times without detracting from its efficiency.

Another object of our invention is to provide a metallic base and. conduit having a cover plate provided at one edge with a vertical tongue and mortise connection extending substantially in the plane of the cover and having at the other edge a frictional fastening or gripping connection embodying a flange insertable into a groove extending at right angles to the plane of the said cover, whereby a fastening of one edge of the cover automatically secures both edges.

Another object of our invention is to provide, in combination with the frictional fastening means or gripping connection hereinabove specified, an opening or prying flange arranged to abut and extend parallel with the outer face of the molding member in such position as to permit the entrance therebetween of a screw-driveraor like sharp instrument to pry the elements of the fastening means apart.

Still another object of our invention is to combine with a metallic molding, a fastening groove having walls, one of which comprisestthe bottom of the molding and the other a flange formed by a reverse bending of the. marginal edge. of the molding strip into parallel relationship with said molding bottom; also to provide said flange with a free spring lip to produce with the said bottom wall of the molding a U-shaped locking groove having a contracted mouth, which cooperates with an inwardly-extending flange of the cover or side plate which is provided with frictional engaging elements.

Still another object of our invention is to produce the body of the combined metallic conduit and base-member from a pair of metallic molding elements having the members suitably spaced to form a conduit-body therebetween, each of said molding members having formed therein by a folding of the metal longitudinally, grooves disposed at substantially right angles to each other, one of said grooves being a mortise or groove arranged to receive and retain, without frictional contact a straight rectilinear tongue and the other being arranged to frictionally lock or fasten the opposite edge of the cover plate in position, the disposition of the grooves being such that the fastening of one edge of the cover plate automatically locks the tongue in the other.

With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises the combination of members and arrangement of parts so combined as to co-act and cooperate with'each other in the performance of the'functions and the accomplishment of the results herein contemplated, and comprises in one of its adaptations the species or preferred form illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:-- i

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of our combined conduit and base-board;

Fig. 2 is a similar section showing the baseboard released from locking engagement with its groove;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the three parts of combined metallic conduit and baseboard in separated relationship.

Referring now to the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of our invention, 1 indicates a wall of a building along which it is desired to enclose electric wires or the like. By the use of our invention, we enclose such electric wires in a combined metallic conduit and baseboard and produce such a conduit from stationary members spaced to form or enclose a conduit compartment and a removable cover plate which will be securely but detachably fastened by means of a frictional gripping device. This gripping device may be closed to securely fasten the cover by a mere hammering action against the edge of the closure plate, the parts thereof may be pried apart to release the cover merely by the use of a screw-driver and will be capable of being secured in place and pried open any number of times without substantially detracting from the secure fastening and frictional engagement thereof when the parts are interengaged as hereinafter described.

As illustrated, our improved combined conduit and base-member comprises a pair of longitudinally-disposed and relatively stationary or fixed body members 2 and 3 arranged in spaced relationship to each other and combined with a cover or face plate 4 spanning the spacedbody members '2 and'3 and removably fastened thereto.

As shown, the body member 2 is formed of a strip of sheet metal bent to provide an ornamental body portion 2' which is secured to the wall by screws 6 or in any other suitable manner and is provided at its lower edge with a face portion 2 and a bottom portion 2 extending inwardly to contact with the surface of the wall 1 and havingintegrally formed therewith a marginal flange 2 bent reversely into parallel relationship with the bottom portion 2 so as to form a groove 5 having a wall provided with a free lip 2 The lip 2 is preferably curved inwardly at the outer end to provide between said flange 2 and the member 2 a gripping groove 5 having a contracted mouth portion 5', said groove extending in substantially perpendicular relationship to the wall on which the member is fastened.

The other spaced conduit-body member 3 is also preferably composed of a strip of sheet metal bent to provide an attaching flange 3 which is fastened by screw '7 to the wall 1, preferably merges with an intermediate wire+trough portion 3 of an outwardly-extending arcuate-groove configuration, the outer end 3 of which extends to the top of the conduit and forms a rest or abutment for the cover plate 4. The strip ,3 above or exterior of said abutment portion 3 is prefer ably further bent between the edges thereof to provide a mortise groove and also preferably hawing a contracted mouth portion 8', this groove being formed or provided at a substantially right angle to the position of the gripping groove 5,, and. said member 3 is thereafter further bent to provide an outer face strip 3 extending parallel to the wall and having its edge engaging or abutting against the floor 10.

.The cover plate 4, as shown, comprises a face portion 4? spanning the space between the mem bers 2 and 3 respectively and preferably having one edge unbent or of rectilinear form to permit insertion thereof in the vertically-disposed mortise groove 8 to provide a keying connection and its opposite edge for providing with the groove 5 a frictional gripping connection. Said means comprises a horizontal inwardly-extending rip- -ping or engaging flange 4 which, as shown,- is

bent to provide a downwardly=extending terminal lip 4 of curvilinear cross section which is adapted tobe inserted within the gripping groove 5.

The flange 4 is provided contiguous or adjacent to its free edge with a gripping or expanding element adapted upon insertion .to frictionally en gage and expand the walls of the groove and to.

provide a frictional resilient gripping engagement or fastening therewith which will be secure and enduring and which will furthermore permit release without affecting the fastening qualities thereof.

In the preferred embodiment shown, said flange 4 is provided with semispherical de= pressed projections 4 which stiffen the flange and provide therewith an expansion element adapted upon insertion of the flange to spread apart the walls to widen the mouth 5' of the groove 5 and to provide with the body 5 thereof a gripping or frictional engagement. 7

The flange 4 is formed at the marginal edge, as aforesaid, of the strip 4 and we preferably pro vide adjacent to said locking flange, a prying flange i formed by folding the metal of the member 4 at a right angle to said locking flange and groove. This flange 4 is adapted to abut and lie flat against the abutment or top rest portion 2 of the member 2 so that the gripping or frictional flange 4 may be pried out of the locking groove 5 to release the cover, it being understood that the frictional engagement or gripping of one edge of said plate 4,-due to the disposition and insertion of the opposite edge thereof into the groove 8,--will effect a complete fastening of the cover plate 4, and also that when the flange i is pried out of the groove 5, the cover will be loose in the groove 8 and may be tilted back therein or removed, as desired.

It will be understood from the above that the fastening or gripping connection between the flange 4 and the groove 5 is an important element of our invention, as is also the disposition of the grooves at opposite edges which makes it necessary to provide a gripping groove at one edge only, while providing a retaining groove at the opposite edge.

It will be understood also that the making of these members from strips of sheet metal and the provision of these grooves and flanges in the manner specified is desirable for reasons of economy in the manufacture and other reasons hereinabove specified.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention, I also preferably arrange within the conduit compartment and between the body strips 2 and 100 3 an intermediate wire trough composed of a metal strip 10 comprising an attaching portion 10 attached to the wall by screws 10a and also a trough portion 10b rectangular in conformation Y which wires W may, as shown in Fig. 1, be strung. 106

I have also shown in Fig. 1 wires W strung in the trough portion 3 of the body strip 3.

It will be understood, of course, that as many of these trough strips as desirable may be arranged within the conduit or they may beomitted en- 110 tirely and the wires strung on hooks, nails or other string elements.

Having described our invention, we claim:-

1. Acombined metallic base member and conduit embodying, in combination, a conduit .bodyl'lfl composed of a pair of longitudinally extending metallic strips each bent to form a body portion and an interior conduit-portion and eachprovided with a groove, one of said grooves being arranged at an angle to the other and constitut ing a mortise groove and the other constituting an .expansible gripping groove formed by providing one of said metallic strips with a reverselybent marginal edge arranged in :a position ad jacent to the interior wall of the conduit to form a resilient gripping flange, and a-cover plate arranged to bridge the space between said groovesand having one edge extensible into the mortise groove and its opposite edge provided with a spreading flange insertible into the said gripping groove and provided with. frictional fastening means engageable with the walls of the gripping groove.

2. A combined metallic base=nieinber and conduit embodying, in combination, aconduit body 135 composed of a pair of iongitudinauy extending metallic strips each bent to form a body portion and an interior conduit portion and each provided with a groove, one of said grooves be= ing arranged at an angle to the other and constituting a mortise groove and the other con stituting an expansible gripping groove formed by providing one of said metallic strips with a reversely bent marginal edge arranged in a poition adjacent to the interior wall of the conduit to form a resilient gripping flange, said flange also being provided with a curved lip to providea contracted mouth portion for the groove, and a cover plate arranged to bridge the space between said grooves'and having one edge extensible into the mortise groove and its opposite edge provided With a spreading flange insertable into the said gripping groove and provided with frictional fastening means engageable with the walls of the gripping groove.

3. A combined metallic base-member and conduit embodying, in combination, a conduit body composed of a pair of longitudinally-extending metallic strips each bent to form a body portion and an interior conduit portion and each provided with a groove, one of said grooves being arranged at an angle to the other and constituting a mortise groove and the other constituting an expansible gripping groove formed by providing one of said metallic strips with a reverselybent marginal edge arranged in a position adjacent to the interior wall of the conduit to form a resilient gripping flange, said flange also being provided with a curved lip to provide a contracted mouth portion for the groove, and a cover plate arranged to bridge the space between said grooves and having one edge extensible into the mortise groove and its opposite edge provided with a spreading flange insertable into the said gripping groove and provided with frictional fastening means engageable with the Walls of the gripping groove, and said spreading flange being provided with semi-spherical depressions along its edge arranged upon insertion of said flange into the groove to expand the contracted mouth portion thereof and to provide a frictional grip behind said contracted mouth portion.

4. A combined metallic base-member and conduit embodying, in combination, a conduit body composed of spaced longitudinally-extending metallic strips, one of said body-strips being bent to provide an ornamental top molding, a body portion, an inwardly-directed interior portion and a reversely-bent expansion flange and forming a gripping groove having a contracted mouth portion, and the other strip being folded intermediate its ends to provide an interior conduit-wall portion, a mortise groove extending at an angle to the gripping groove in the other spaced strip and an outside floor-engaging flange, said flange being provided with semi-spherical depressions along its edge arranged upon insertion of said flange into the groove to expand the contracted mouth portion thereof and to provide a frictional engaging gripbehind said contracted mouth portion, the disposition of the grooves being such that the insertion of one edge of the cover plate into said mortise groove and the insertion of the spreading flange at the opposite edge of the cover plate into its' groove will cause a secure fastening of the cover plate.

ANDREW J. CONNELL. JACOB COHEN. 

